This is how your car's windshield and mirrors could look in the future

The windshield continues to be the focus of numerous advancements within the automotive industry. It is the large "screen" through which we see the world when driving, and it will integrate augmented reality technologies and other screens that display relevant information or content.

And since there are few giants in the field of technology and screens like Apple, it now surprises with a recently filed patent. It is an innovation to integrate screens within the windshield that offer images from the mirrors and interact with the driver's gaze and various parameters.

The introduction of the patent explains that "in a conventional vehicle, mirrors are located separate from the front windshield, so the driver must look away from the road to check the mirrors before changing lanes, braking, or performing other actions. The risk of collision can increase when the user looks away from the front windshield to check the mirrors."

Apple's system aims to integrate one or more screens into the vehicle's windshield. It can be a screen laminated on the outer surface of the glass, integrated within the glass, or with images projected onto the windshield and reflected towards an eye for a user to see.

"The screens on the front windshield can be configured to display images captured by the vehicle's cameras. For example, a left camera can be mounted on a left side to show a live rear image, like that offered by a rearview mirror. And similarly on the right side. They can also show bird's-eye view images. These screens can replace or complement mirrors.

This system can be configured to operate in an "intelligent" mode that assists the driver and addresses their needs to increase safety. For example, they can automatically show live video transmission when each side's turn signal is activated. They can also activate when there are cars, people, signs, or obstacles around the vehicle. Additionally, images can appear based on where the user is looking, aligning with their gaze and not obstructing their field of vision, or activating when they detect that the user hasn't adequately checked the mirrors or noticed any danger. They can also activate depending on information collected by different vehicle sensors or the urgency of displayed information, for instance, to avoid a collision.